72 replies to this topic

[Brickus]

Excellent review Rufus, I thoroughly enjoy reading your reviews. Thank you for taking the time to do so.

[Kim Thomsen]

Great set, great review
I am definately getting this one
Love the spinning head picture

[mrklaw]

Rufus, in your opinion, does the scale of the head lend itself to smoothing out the head using curved/sloped bricks? and how about adding PF? Model looks a little smaller than I'd originally thought so it might be difficult. i'd be happy to remove most of the other internal 'pop out' bits if I could add RC PF to it.

reading your review, this part has me very close to hitting the 'buy' button

Quote

I loved every minute of this build. Throughout it is interesting, with minimal repetition, and full of intriguing details which reveal themselves as the build progresses. I can't count the number of times I wondered what a certain recess or SNOT panel was going to turn out to be, or what a Technic thingamybob would end up doing, and was delighted by the revelation.

I got this same feeling when building the VW Camper and it was fantastic. I have sets I like the final look of more (imperial shuttle, Space Shuttle), but they didn't give me the same enjoyment during building.

Edited by mrklaw, 08 May 2012 - 01:14 PM.

[TheDarkness]

Thanks for an awesome review!!!     
It looks fantastic, however the mix of whites is alarming. Just hoping my S@H order doesn't have it!

[johnnyvgoode]

Thanks for the detailed review! I'm not too sure that I like the rainbow inside. Why did they do this? To allow for easier construction and less confusion? Anyways, I think that I agree that this set is worth it. Hopefully I'll be able to get this guy on a discount some day. Thanks!  

[Eric W.]

Great review!   I was probably going to pass on this set originally, but I just might pick it up!!!

[DrWeevil]

Great review Rufus, thanks!

Just one request - can you please add the dimensions of the completed set? I didn't are it in the review (though I may be blind).

Cheers!

[Rufus]

Thanks for the comments, everyone!    I'm a bit pushed for time, but I'll try to respond to specific questions.

DrWeevil, on 08 May 2012 - 11:41 PM, said:

Just one request - can you please add the dimensions of the completed set? I didn't are it in the review (though I may be blind).

I haven't measured him myself, but...

Shop@Home said:

• Measures over 12” (31 cm) high and 7” (18 cm) wide!

mrklaw, on 08 May 2012 - 12:53 PM, said:

Rufus, in your opinion, does the scale of the head lend itself to smoothing out the head using curved/sloped bricks? and how about adding PF? Model looks a little smaller than I'd originally thought so it might be difficult. i'd be happy to remove most of the other internal 'pop out' bits if I could add RC PF to it.

I wouldn't meddle with the head if I were you.  No curved bricks exist that would do the job without it looking ... odd.  Studded bricks and plates are the way to go at this scale, I think.  

As for the Power Functions, sadly, I doubt it's possible (but I would love to be proved wrong).  You'd have to lose the extendable leg mechanism, and perhaps use a chain to drive wheels in the feet.  But you could make the head turn quite easily, I think!  

The 'pop-out' tools take up very little space - they are already squeezed in around the central mechanism.

[TimH]

Great review of R2-D2 Rufus.

[drdavewatford]

Thanks for the superb review, Rufus - much appreciated !

Having picked up R2 at AFOLCON last week I'm now looking forward to building him even more than I was before....

Any thoughts on how easy it'd be to invisibly motorise the model ?

[EDIT : Just seen your reply above - "not very" would appear to be the answer to my question !]

Cheers,

Dr. D.

[Super General Koopa]

I'm going to get this set just for the R2-D2 Minifigure.  

Just Kidding.

[PoweredbyNorth]

Thanks for the excellent and detailed review. The only problem is that I now think I want to buy the set...  

[mutley777]

Thank you for the fantastic detailed review Rufus!

This really is a stunning set that simply must be owned!

[gotoAndLego]

What a great review. Would someone who is about to build this set show us the modified third-leg mechanism which allows R2 to lean back further?

Edited by gotoAndLego, 09 May 2012 - 02:45 PM.

[Gekke Ted]

Examining the parts, one thing comes to mind; R2D2 doesn't have wheels, so it can't roll. That's a huge disappointment. Maybe this issue can easily be solved, but still. Wouldn't it be much more fun if R2 could roll over the table.

I mean, that's how he rolls!

(haven't read the entire topic, so forgive me if this has already been addressed)

Edited by Gekke Ted, 09 May 2012 - 04:16 PM.

[Gooker1]

Super General Koopa, on 09 May 2012 - 03:10 AM, said:

I'm going to get this set just for the R2-D2 Minifigure.  

Just Kidding.

LOL - classic

[cavegod]

Well just built mine, great build if a bit quick. Still a great display piece! Also my missing brick separator is in the post, thanks customer services!

[domdubya]

Great review, thank you. This is my first ever UCS purchase and it's been shipped today!

[Brainslugged]

I'm currently two-thirds of the way through building R2 so thought I'd chime in with a few comments.

I believe the orange bricks at the start of the build are to make it instantly obvious which way round you're holding the piece you're making. Such "signposts" demonstrate a really nice, thoughtful attention to detail that wouldn't even be noticed by most people, until like me, you find yourself suddenly unsure as to which way round you're currently holding it.

As for the random colors in the set - I like them. It makes it a lot more interesting than a big box of white. It also makes following the instructions a lot easier.

The disparity in the whites isn't obvious to me, although I don't think my room is lit well enough as I have real problems distinguishing between the two different blues in the instructions. This may not be a problem if you build a bag at a time, but I prefer to chuck all the pieces together and do the sorting myself. One thing that actually put me off R2 was the prospect of all those white pieces discoloring over time, but at least they look OK for now (I think). I bought the yellow Creator sports car recently and the yellows on that were all over the place. Half of them looked almost orange. I hope this isn't a (bad) sign of things to come.

Excited to hear of the new sets being featured in the back. I Haven't got that far yet so I'm looking forward to seeing them tonight once R2 gets his head.

Some people (including Rufus) have said the blockiness of the main unit is good as it shows it's made of Lego, however, one thing I find a little jarring is that the legs are just SO good and could have come off the actual movie model that they make the body look extra blocky by comparison. Still a great model, but I wouldn't complain if the body was as smooth and perfect-looking as the legs.

Finally, I really wish they'd give the minifig R2 a chrome head. That would have turned the set from an "I guess I'll get it" to to a must-have.

Great review though - thanks.

[SpacySmoke]

Brainslugged, on 09 May 2012 - 11:42 PM, said:

Finally, I really wish they'd give the minifig R2 a chrome head. That would have turned the set from an "I guess I'll get it" to to a must-have.

A lot of people seem to want a R2 with a chrome head. While I understand why people would think that's cool, R2-D2 in the movies does not have a chrome dome; it's brushed metal.
In my opinion, a chrome head would be too shiny and thus be as inaccurate as the grey plastic version.

Hasbro used to chrome the heads on their R2 figures, but eventually realized that it was inaccurate and switched to metallic silver paint, which is much closer to the brushed metal look in the movies.
The Episode I R2-D2 figure is probably one of the best examples; the dome is shiny, but not too shiny and paint they used on this figure is very smooth (other paints they've used have larger metallic "flakes").

If TLG could do something like that, I'd be pleased.

Back on topic, great review; I think I'll pick this one up eventually!

[Algernon]

As I said when the set was announced, I love this design but I can't really bring myself to buy it. I'm as big of an R2D2 fan as the next guy, but for some reason I just can't justify the price tag here. Oh well, it was great to get such a detailed look at a lovely model. Great review!

[cavegod]

I Still don't understand peoples issues with the price??? I would have paid full price for mine and still have got a good deal, 2127 parts for £150 is excellent, just remember the Lambda shuttle had 2500 parts and was £100 more expensive!

[mrklaw]

cavegod, on 10 May 2012 - 08:07 AM, said:

I Still don't understand peoples issues with the price??? I would have paid full price for mine and still have got a good deal, 2127 parts for £150 is excellent, just remember the Lambda shuttle had 2500 parts and was £100 more expensive!

those parts were quite a lot bigger though.

[deco_droid]

Nice review, and one I've been waiting for.  I was a bit surprised to see all the interior colors, but I suppose it helps with assembly.  I'm still not convinced with the dome though.  I can live with the body being chunky, but I think they should have made more of an effort to round out R2's head.  The legs to me are perfect though.

[car_mp]

Fantastic review. I built mine this last weekend and I think it is an outstanding set. It looks much better than in the pictures.